Last Tuesday, Gov. Cuomo announced that his office has reached a tentative contract agreement with the United University Professions (UUP), the union that represents most State University of New York (SUNY) employees. The agreement must be approved by UUP’s membership in order to become effective.

The agreement follows the same format as those reached with the state’s largest unions. It includes three years without pay increases, followed by 2 percent raises in 2014 and 2015, and nine furlough days. It also includes an increase in the employee share of health care costs.

According to the Governor’s office, the agreement will save the state $87 million in wages and $99 million through an increase in employees’ health benefit contribution rates.

We are pleased that the Governor has continued his commitment to fiscal responsibility in his dealings with the state’s labor unions.